1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to logic systems that are resistant to differential power analysis and other side channel attacks (SCA).
2. Description of the Related Art
When encryption algorithms are implemented on a physical device, the device itself often provides an attacker with important side channel-information to obtain the secret key. For example, Differential Power Analysis (DPA) uses the fact that logic operations have power characteristics that depend on the input data.
DPA has been used against Smart Cards, where the security IC is often easily observable. Smart Cards are used in a broad range of applications. The four main sectors are (1) Telecommunications, e.g. SIM cards in GSM mobile phones; (2) Financial Services, e.g. electronic wallets, ATM and credit cards; (3) Pay TV; and (4) Government/Healthcare, e.g. secure ID cards containing biometric information.
Many countermeasures have been proposed to try and conceal the supply current variations at the architectural or the algorithmic level. Yet, the proposed countermeasures are not effective or practical against DPA and/or its derivatives, as the variations actually originate at the logic level.